To many, my move from Florida to Wisconsin is shocking. As I've been told, many people are doing the opposite. For years, I've always been asked, "You're from Florida?! Why did you move here?" The answer isn't so simple; this move was for many reasons.
Unlike what some think, south Florida isn't a magical paradise where you get to spend all day at the beach and not have any problems. It is a place with very real problems. In case you don't know what TV or the news is, a lot of weird and messed up crimes happen in Florida. Also, it is home to some of the worst education systems in the country (Palm Beach County whats up?), as well as a governor who isn't the greatest (yes, you, Rick Scott). Yes, south Florida has what some people would consider "great weather," (I call it hellish and humid) and it seems like everyone has a McMansion and a ridiculously expensive sports car, but honestly, growing up in south Florida hurt me more than it helped me.
I moved because I didn't see a future for myself in Florida. I needed change, and I needed it badly. It made it easier because I have family in Wisconsin. Once I graduated high school I moved and I am now going to school here. I knew that if I didn't leave the state that I would never get out of that petty high school stage because no matter where you go, you still find yourself hanging out with the same people. Moving to Wisconsin was a shock at first, everyone seemed so normal. Once I left the entitled, wealthy state of mind that everyone seemed to have, I was able to see things more clearly.
Some of the things that I found sort of shocking were the small, everyday things. In south Florida it was commonplace to see anyone with a wrinkle or gray hair getting thousands of dollars in plastic surgery to cover up any signs of ageing, but in Wisconsin, most people age normally.
The first thing, however, that did shock me as I made the drive up after high school was that I saw very, very few luxury cars. In Florida, it seemed like everyone got a BMW or a VW Jetta for their 15th or 16th birthdays. Here, most people drive the family car, work for their own or don't even own one in the first place. Driving in general was different. People here are good drivers compared to Florida. Since I got my driver's licence and learned how to drive in Florida, I did have to practice my parallel parking since that wasn't required on the test; no one spent much time teaching it.
Being closer to South America was also nice; there was no need for connecting flights between two airports in the US if you didn't want to go through that. I could go on and on about the differences between the two states, but moving to a whole new state with lots of different norms was quite the shocker at first.
The one thing that I do miss is the diversity that south Florida had. I went to school with people of just about every race and ethnicity and for the most part, it seemed that everyone got along just fine. Although living in Milwaukee, the most diverse city in Wisconsin is nice. I miss having the variety of South American restaurants and food on every corner. I didn't have to go far to see people of every race and ethnicity. Sometimes it is hard in Wisconsin and it wasn't until I took certain classes and became friends with other Latinas and people of color on campus that I really got to be around half as much diversity.
No place is perfect, and I'm definitely not saying that living in Florida was horrible all the time. It was a personal decision of mine to leave, and I wouldn't change that if I could. I've had some great times and great memories in both states and I am thankful for all the opportunities I've had. If you feel like you don't belong in the place that you're in don't be afraid to move somewhere else. I know it's scary, but it's starting another chapter in life.
